{"id":7143,"date":"2024-04-10T14:25:06","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T14:25:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/?p=7143"},"modified":"2026-04-14T10:47:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T10:47:35","slug":"how-to-make-a-gantt-chart-in-excel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-gantt-chart-in-excel\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel (+ Free Template)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A Gantt chart is an indispensable tool for any <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/what-project-managers-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project manager<\/a> who needs to have a simple and intuitive overview of their project. It\u2019s extremely useful when it comes to providing insight into the project schedule and <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/dependencies-in-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">task dependencies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, I\u2019ll provide a step-by-step guide that will help you create a Gantt chart in Microsoft Excel. You\u2019ll also find a comprehensive free template you can use to set up a Gantt chart faster.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-Excel-cover.png\" alt=\"Gantt chart in Excel - cover\" class=\"wp-image-10510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-Excel-cover.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-Excel-cover-600x300.png 600w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-Excel-cover-1110x555.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-Excel-cover-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-Excel-cover-18x9.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-Excel-cover-120x60.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"making-a-gantt-chart-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Making a Gantt chart in Excel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several ways you can make a Gantt chart in Microsoft Excel, and you will find a step-by-step guide for each method below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"method-1-how-to-make-a-basic-gantt-chart-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method #1: How to make a basic Gantt chart in Excel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A basic Gantt chart in Excel is easy to make, and it can be used for tracking project tasks and <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-milestones\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project milestones<\/a> without being cluttered with any but the most important information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-1-create-a-table\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #1: Create a table<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you need to create a table with the following data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Task,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>End date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start day, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Duration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Column A should be formatted as Text, and columns B and C should be formatted to show dates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you can add tasks and specify start and end dates for each task.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"452\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-table-in-excel.png\" alt=\"Basic table in Excel\" class=\"wp-image-7123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-table-in-excel.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-table-in-excel-300x113.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-table-in-excel-1024x386.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-table-in-excel-768x289.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-table-in-excel-18x7.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Basic table in Excel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-2-calculate-task-start-days-and-duration\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #2: Calculate task start days and duration<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Excel can\u2019t generate a Gantt chart based on dates alone, so the next step is to determine the start day of each task relative to the start of the project, as well as the duration of each task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To calculate the <strong>Start day <\/strong>of a task, use a formula to subtract the start date of the project from the start date of the task. To start, double-click D2 (the first cell in the Start day column) and type in the following formula:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e5f6fe\">=B2-B2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Repeat this process for each row in the D column, as pictured below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve added the formula several times, you can use AutoFill to complete the column. If this feature isn\u2019t working or is not available in your version of Excel, you\u2019ll have to do it manually.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"442\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-start-day-calculation.png\" alt=\"Task start day calculation\" class=\"wp-image-7140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-start-day-calculation.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-start-day-calculation-300x111.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-start-day-calculation-1024x377.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-start-day-calculation-768x283.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-start-day-calculation-18x7.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Task start day calculation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Next, calculating the <strong>duration<\/strong> of each task is just as simple, as you need to subtract the task\u2019s end date from its start date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To start, double-click E2 and type in the following formula:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e5f6fe\">=C2-B2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Repeat this for each task, as seen in the image below.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"443\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-duration-calculation.png\" alt=\"Task duration calculation\" class=\"wp-image-7139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-duration-calculation.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-duration-calculation-300x111.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-duration-calculation-1024x378.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-duration-calculation-768x284.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/task-duration-calculation-18x7.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Task duration calculation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-3-insert-a-stacked-bar-chart\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #3: Insert a stacked bar chart<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, it\u2019s time to insert the actual chart.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, select columns A, D, and E.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, go to the <em>Insert<\/em> tab, click the <em>Bar<\/em> button in the <em>Charts<\/em> section, and choose the stacked bar chart.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"561\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-bar-chart-in-excel.png\" alt=\"Adding a bar chart in Excel\" class=\"wp-image-7117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-bar-chart-in-excel.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-bar-chart-in-excel-300x140.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-bar-chart-in-excel-1024x479.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-bar-chart-in-excel-768x359.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-bar-chart-in-excel-18x8.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding a bar chart in Excel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-default pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 pr-0\" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Stop wasting time on creating Gantt charts in spreadsheets. Speed up and streamline your schedule management process with an easy-to-use project management tool \u2014 try Plaky by CAKE.com!<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/gantt-chart-software\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid px-lg-0\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-4-format-the-bar-chart\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #4: Format the bar chart<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, all you need to do is format the bar chart to make it look like a Gantt chart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, simply click the <em>Start day<\/em> bar in the chart (which should be dark blue by default), click the <em>Fill Color <\/em>button in the <em>Home<\/em> tab or by right-clicking the bar, and choose the <em>No Fill <\/em>option<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"543\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/stacked-bar-chart-formatted-to-look-like-a-gantt-chart.png\" alt=\"Stacked bar chart formatted to look like a Gantt chart\" class=\"wp-image-7138\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/stacked-bar-chart-formatted-to-look-like-a-gantt-chart.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/stacked-bar-chart-formatted-to-look-like-a-gantt-chart-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/stacked-bar-chart-formatted-to-look-like-a-gantt-chart-1024x463.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/stacked-bar-chart-formatted-to-look-like-a-gantt-chart-768x348.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/stacked-bar-chart-formatted-to-look-like-a-gantt-chart-18x8.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stacked bar chart formatted to look like a Gantt chart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Finally, right-click the chart, select <em>Format<\/em>, and click the <em>Vertical Axis <\/em>category in the menu that opens up. Tick the checkbox next to <em>Categories in reverse order<\/em> to reverse the order the tasks are listed in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With that, you have successfully created a basic Gantt chart in Excel.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"403\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-gantt-chart-in-excel.png\" alt=\"Basic Gantt chart in Excel\" class=\"wp-image-7122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-gantt-chart-in-excel.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-gantt-chart-in-excel-300x101.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-gantt-chart-in-excel-1024x344.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-gantt-chart-in-excel-768x258.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/basic-gantt-chart-in-excel-18x6.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Basic Gantt chart in Excel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You are also free to customize the chart further in the <em>Format<\/em> menu and tweak it until it suits your needs and preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re currently looking for a tool to help you track tasks more accurately, you should take a look at the article below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/best-task-management-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10 Best Task Management Software Solutions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"method-2-how-to-make-an-advanced-gantt-chart-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method #2: How to make an advanced Gantt chart in Excel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need a Gantt chart with more options for more precise project management, here\u2019s how to make a chart that includes progress tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-1-create-a-table\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #1: Create a table<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Similar to the simple chart, the first step is to create a table that includes the following information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Task,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>End date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Duration,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start day, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Progress.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The first 5 points are set up the same way as with the basic chart above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, create the <em>Progress<\/em> column.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Left-click column F to select all cells, then right-click it and select <em>Format cells. <\/em>In the new menu that opens up, select <em>Number<\/em>, and then select <em>Percentage <\/em>from the drop-down menu.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After this, the <em>Decimal places<\/em> box will appear underneath, and you can specify how many decimal places the cell should show.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-the-progress-column-1024x658.png\" alt=\"Formatting the progress column\" class=\"wp-image-7132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-the-progress-column-1024x658.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-the-progress-column-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-the-progress-column-768x493.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-the-progress-column-18x12.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-the-progress-column.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Formatting the progress column<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-2-calculate-completed-days-and-remaining-days\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #2: Calculate completed days and remaining days<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, it\u2019s time to add the <em>Completed days <\/em>and <em>Remaining days<\/em> columns so that the chart can reflect task progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To track completed days, start by adding the following formula to column G:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e5f6fe\">=IF((C2)=&#8221;&#8221;,&#8221;&#8221;,(D2*F2))<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first value is the end date, the second is the duration, and the third is the task progress.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"334\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-the-completed-days-column.png\" alt=\"Creating the completed days column\" class=\"wp-image-7127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-the-completed-days-column.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-the-completed-days-column-300x84.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-the-completed-days-column-1024x285.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-the-completed-days-column-768x214.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-the-completed-days-column-18x5.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Creating the completed days column<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Next, in column H, add the following formula:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e5f6fe\">=IF(G2=&#8221;&#8221;,&#8221;&#8221;,(D2-G2))<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/calculating-remaining-days.png\" alt=\"Calculating remaining days\" class=\"wp-image-7124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/calculating-remaining-days.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/calculating-remaining-days-300x78.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/calculating-remaining-days-1024x265.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/calculating-remaining-days-768x198.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/calculating-remaining-days-18x5.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Calculating remaining days<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-3-insert-the-stacked-bar-chart\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #3: Insert the stacked bar chart<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>When creating the stacked bar chart, select the following columns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Task,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start day,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Completed days, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remaining days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>With the columns selected, simply go to the <em>Insert <\/em>tab &gt; <em>Bar<\/em> &gt; <em>Stacked Bar<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-4-format-the-chart\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #4: Format the chart<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To format the bar chart to look like a Gantt chart, first right-click the chart, select <em>Format<\/em>, and under <em>Vertical Axis, <\/em>tick the box next to <em>Categories in reverse order.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, right-click the bar showing data from the <em>Start day<\/em> column, click the arrow next to the <em>Fill<\/em> button, and choose <em>No Fill.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do the same for the <em>Completed days<\/em> and <em>Remaining days<\/em> bars, and choose colors that fit your preference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I prefer dark blue for completed days and light blue for the remaining days, as it\u2019s easy on the eyes and creates the impression of a bar filling up.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"725\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatted-advanced-gantt-chart-in-excel.png\" alt=\"Formatted advanced Gantt chart in Excel\" class=\"wp-image-7130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatted-advanced-gantt-chart-in-excel.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatted-advanced-gantt-chart-in-excel-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatted-advanced-gantt-chart-in-excel-1024x619.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatted-advanced-gantt-chart-in-excel-768x464.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatted-advanced-gantt-chart-in-excel-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Formatted advanced Gantt chart in Excel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for some additional advanced templates for Excel? One of the following articles might pique your interest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/work-tools-and-templates\/project-management-excel-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Top 16 Automated Project Management Excel Templates<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/work-tools-and-templates\/project-timeline-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">11 Free Project Timeline Templates<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"method-3-how-to-create-a-manual-gantt-chart-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method #3: How to create a manual Gantt chart in Excel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want a simpler, more direct, and more intuitive way to manage your project, you can create a manual Gantt chart. With this chart, there aren\u2019t many formulas to worry about, and it\u2019s all quite straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-1-create-a-table\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #1: Create a table<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As before, the first thing you need to do is create a table with the following data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Task,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>End date, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Duration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This time, merge cells A to D vertically in rows 1 and 2, as seen below, as we\u2019ll need 2 rows to create the calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"498\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Manual-Excel-Gantt-chart-table.png\" alt=\"Manual Excel Gantt chart table\" class=\"wp-image-7134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Manual-Excel-Gantt-chart-table.png 810w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Manual-Excel-Gantt-chart-table-300x184.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Manual-Excel-Gantt-chart-table-768x472.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Manual-Excel-Gantt-chart-table-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manual Excel Gantt chart table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-2-create-the-calendar\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #2: Create the calendar<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To create the calendar, start by formatting columns E and onward. To do this, simply select the entirety of row 1 and then deselect columns A-D.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Click the <em>Format <\/em>button in the <em>Home <\/em>tab and select <em>Column Width<\/em> from the dropdown menu, and type in 2.5 as the new width.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"463\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-column-width-for-the-manual-gantt-chart-1024x463.png\" alt=\"Formatting column width for the manual Gantt chart\" class=\"wp-image-7131\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-column-width-for-the-manual-gantt-chart-1024x463.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-column-width-for-the-manual-gantt-chart-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-column-width-for-the-manual-gantt-chart-768x348.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-column-width-for-the-manual-gantt-chart-18x8.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/formatting-column-width-for-the-manual-gantt-chart.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Formatting column width for the manual Gantt chart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Starting in E2, begin entering dates from the start date of the first task. However, only enter the day in the unformatted cell, not the month and year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can be done quickly with AutoFill, but if you\u2019re using a version of Excel that doesn\u2019t support AutoFill, you can manually insert numbers 1 through 31, then copy-paste the selection for each month and delete the extra days for shorter months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, merge the row 1 cells corresponding to each month, and specify the month and year as pictured below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/manual-gantt-chart-calendar.png\" alt=\"Manual Gantt chart calendar\" class=\"wp-image-7135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/manual-gantt-chart-calendar.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/manual-gantt-chart-calendar-300x53.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/manual-gantt-chart-calendar-1024x179.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/manual-gantt-chart-calendar-768x134.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/manual-gantt-chart-calendar-18x3.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manual Gantt chart calendar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-3-add-borders-to-the-table\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #3: Add borders to the table<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To give the table a clearer outline, select all columns from E and onward, just like before. Right-click the selection and click <em>Format Cells<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From here, select <em>Border<\/em>, and pick the <em>All Borders <\/em>option.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"564\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-borders-to-the-manual-gantt-chart.png\" alt=\"Adding borders to the manual Gantt chart\" class=\"wp-image-7120\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-borders-to-the-manual-gantt-chart.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-borders-to-the-manual-gantt-chart-300x141.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-borders-to-the-manual-gantt-chart-1024x481.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-borders-to-the-manual-gantt-chart-768x361.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-borders-to-the-manual-gantt-chart-18x8.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding borders to the manual Gantt chart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Finally, to make sure the title bar and the days\/months are always visible \u2014 select row 2, go to the <em>View <\/em>tab, click the <em>Freeze Panes <\/em>button, and then click <em>Up to row 2.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-features pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Create an easy project timeline in no time at all! Automate your schedule management with Plaky by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/gantt-chart-software\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"step-4-add-tasks-to-the-chart\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #4: Add tasks to the chart<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To add tasks to the chart, simply select cells corresponding to the task\u2019s specified start and end dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, click the downward arrow next to the <em>Fill Color <\/em>button on the ribbon and choose whichever color you wish to use.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1029\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-tasks-to-manual-gantt-chart.png\" alt=\"Adding tasks to the manual Gantt chart\" class=\"wp-image-7121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-tasks-to-manual-gantt-chart.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-tasks-to-manual-gantt-chart-300x257.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-tasks-to-manual-gantt-chart-1024x878.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-tasks-to-manual-gantt-chart-768x659.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-tasks-to-manual-gantt-chart-14x12.png 14w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding tasks to the manual Gantt chart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for an Excel alternative? Check out our selection of the best tools to consider in 2025:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>F<a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/excel-alternatives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ind the Best Excel Alternative: 14 Apps \u2014 Tested and Reviewed<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"plaky-gantt-template-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plaky Gantt template in Excel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019d prefer to get started quickly and skip the hassle of setting a Gantt chart up in Excel yourself, you can try out the template below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-template-Plaky.xlsx\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-template-Plaky.xlsx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky Gantt Chart Excel Template<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"471\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-excel-gantt-template.png\" alt=\"Plaky Excel Gantt template\" class=\"wp-image-7136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-excel-gantt-template.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-excel-gantt-template-300x118.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-excel-gantt-template-1024x402.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-excel-gantt-template-768x301.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-excel-gantt-template-18x7.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plaky Excel Gantt template<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>This template includes multiple sheets with all 3 types of Gantt charts we\u2019ve mentioned here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Basic,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advanced, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manual.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, the basic and advanced templates come in both single-project and multi-project variants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Need a more user-friendly alternative to Excel? Here\u2019s a comprehensive guide on making a Gantt chart in Google Sheets, too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/gantt-chart-in-google-sheets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gantt Chart in Google Sheets: How to Create It + Free Templates<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"pros-of-using-excel-for-gantt-charts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pros of using Excel for Gantt charts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re wondering whether Excel is the best software for Gantt charts, here are the main benefits it brings to the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"benefit-1-flexibility\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Benefit #1: Flexibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Spreadsheets provide a great deal of flexibility, and it\u2019s precisely why spreadsheet apps such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets are so widespread and used for a wide variety of tasks across different industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"benefit-2-free-web-app\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Benefit #2: Free web app<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A web-based version of Microsoft Excel is available for free as part of the Microsoft 365 suite. While it doesn\u2019t have the full feature set of the desktop version, it has all the features necessary to set up a Gantt chart.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"cons-of-using-excel-for-gantt-charts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cons of using Excel for Gantt charts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, here are some notable drawbacks when it comes to using Excel for Gantt charts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"drawback-1-steep-learning-curve\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drawback #1: Steep learning curve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting used to Excel\u2019s functions and advanced features can take time, and this can make the program particularly unappealing for those who aren\u2019t quite tech-savvy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"drawback-2-not-optimized-for-gantt-charts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drawback #2: Not optimized for Gantt charts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can tell from this guide, Excel doesn\u2019t actually have native support for Gantt charts. As such, it\u2019s simply not as efficient nor as intuitive as specialized software that comes with Gantt functionality built in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"drawback-3-increased-risk-of-error\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drawback #3: Increased risk of error<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of formulas need to be set up manually in Excel. This, combined with limited automation, means there\u2019s a significantly higher risk of error. This can lead to setbacks, and identifying the error can take a lot of time on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-templates pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-dark\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-dark\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Why make it hard when you can make it simple? With Plaky by CAKE.com, an interactive Gantt chart is only 3 clicks away.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-primary text-white\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-black px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/gantt-chart-software\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"drawback-4-limited-collaboration\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drawback #4: Limited collaboration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many versions of Microsoft Excel have been released over the years, and this creates lots of potential compatibility issues that make <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/project-collaboration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project collaboration<\/a> more difficult.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a Gantt chart made in Excel 2021 might not show up properly in Excel 2016 or Excel 2013. Moreover, document sharing and real-time collaboration can also be complicated for those using the desktop version of the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"plaky-by-cake-com-the-better-way-to-use-gantt-charts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plaky by CAKE.com \u2014 the better way to use Gantt charts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Plaky Tutorial: Gantt View\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ICcyCVp17jA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Plaky offers a much simpler and more straightforward way to generate and manage Gantt charts. Here\u2019s a quick guide on how to set up a Gantt chart in Plaky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-1-create-a-project-board\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #1: Create a project board<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After creating a Plaky account, the app will take you to your main Space. Here, click the <em>Add <\/em>button to create a new board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Boards can be created from scratch, or you can use one of Plaky\u2019s many <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project management templates<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"812\" height=\"598\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-a-board-in-plaky.png\" alt=\"Creating a board in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-a-board-in-plaky.png 812w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-a-board-in-plaky-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-a-board-in-plaky-768x566.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/creating-a-board-in-plaky-16x12.png 16w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Creating a board in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-2-set-up-your-project\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #2: Set up your project<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the board is created, you can add all relevant project data, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tasks,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start dates,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>End dates,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Task duration,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assignee,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Priority,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Budget, and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can add new fields to the board, much like you can add new columns in Excel. Doing this is as simple as clicking the plus icon at the end of the row, as seen below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, you can easily filter your project view, sort tasks by whatever parameters you need, and even hide certain fields to create a clearer overview of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/customizing-a-board-in-plaky.png\" alt=\"Customizing a board in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7128\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/customizing-a-board-in-plaky.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/customizing-a-board-in-plaky-300x120.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/customizing-a-board-in-plaky-1024x409.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/customizing-a-board-in-plaky-768x307.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/customizing-a-board-in-plaky-18x7.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customizing a board in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-3-add-a-gantt-view\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #3: Add a Gantt view<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The table view is the default view in Plaky, but creating a Gantt chart is much simpler than in Excel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do it, click the cog icon next to the <em>Main table <\/em>button, and select <em>Create new view.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"546\" height=\"356\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-new-board-view-in-plaky.png\" alt=\"Adding a new board view in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-new-board-view-in-plaky.png 546w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-new-board-view-in-plaky-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-new-board-view-in-plaky-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 546px) 100vw, 546px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding a new board view in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In the new menu that opens up, click <em>Choose view type<\/em>, and select <em>Gantt<\/em>. Here, you can give the view a custom name, and choose whether to make it private.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"492\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-gantt-view-in-plaky.png\" alt=\"Adding a Gantt view in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7118\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-gantt-view-in-plaky.png 492w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-gantt-view-in-plaky-216x300.png 216w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/adding-a-gantt-view-in-plaky-9x12.png 9w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 492px) 100vw, 492px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding a Gantt view in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The app will then automatically generate a fully interactive Gantt chart with no additional input required on your part.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-plaky.png\" alt=\"Gantt chart in Plaky by CAKE.com\" class=\"wp-image-7133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-plaky.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-plaky-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-plaky-1024x597.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-plaky-768x448.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gantt-chart-in-plaky-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gantt chart in Plaky by CAKE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-4-customize-the-gantt-chart\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #4: Customize the Gantt chart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With the Gantt view set up, you\u2019re free to customize it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like with all other view modes, you can search the board, as well as filter and sort items in ascending or descending order based on data in the fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, you can compress the chart to only show item groups, which is quite useful when <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/manage-multiple-projects\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">managing multiple projects<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"356\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/compressed-gantt-view-in-plaky.png\" alt=\"Compressed Gantt view in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/compressed-gantt-view-in-plaky.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/compressed-gantt-view-in-plaky-300x89.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/compressed-gantt-view-in-plaky-1024x304.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/compressed-gantt-view-in-plaky-768x228.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/compressed-gantt-view-in-plaky-18x5.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Compressed Gantt view in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>More importantly, you can easily adjust the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project timeline<\/a> based on the length of your project. The view modes you can select here include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Days,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Weeks,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Months,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quarters, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For added convenience, you can click the <em>Autofit<\/em> button and the app will select the optimal option based on the length of your project automatically. Meanwhile, the <em>Now<\/em> button will take you to the current date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see a brief overview of all other customization options in the image below:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"702\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-gantt-view-customization-options.png\" alt=\"Plaky Gantt view customization options\" class=\"wp-image-7137\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-gantt-view-customization-options.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-gantt-view-customization-options-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-gantt-view-customization-options-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-gantt-view-customization-options-768x449.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/plaky-gantt-view-customization-options-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plaky Gantt view customization options<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>\ud83d\udca1<strong>Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re unsure whether you should use a project management tool or Excel for organizing your workflow, read the following article: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/project-management-software-vs-excel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Project Management Software vs. Excel: Make the Right Decision<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"faq\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-do-you-make-a-gantt-chart-for-beginners\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you make a Gantt chart for beginners?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To create a simple Gantt chart in Excel, you need to create a task table, determine start and end dates for each task, calculate each task\u2019s start day relative to the start of the project, as well as project duration. Then, you need to insert a bar chart, remove the color for the start day bar, and flip the vertical axis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"is-there-a-free-gantt-chart-template-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is there a free Gantt chart template in Excel?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, Microsoft offers a basic free Gantt chart template for Excel. You can also use a more advanced free template provided by Plaky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-do-i-make-a-gantt-chart-in-excel-without-dates\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I make a Gantt chart in Excel without dates?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re wondering how to make a Gantt chart in Excel without dates, you can simply exclude start and end dates from the table and set up the start day and duration for each task manually.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"say-goodbye-to-errors-and-say-hello-to-automation-try-plaky-by-cake-com-for-free\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Say goodbye to errors and say hello to automation \u2014 try Plaky by CAKE.com for free<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no denying that Excel is a powerful and versatile tool that we just couldn\u2019t do without. However, as it usually goes, a jack of all trades is a master of none. So, while Excel can be used to create <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/gantt-chart-in-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gantt charts<\/a>, it\u2019s simply not the best tool for the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a> was designed to be a comprehensive project management tool with a strong feature set, intuitive interface, and maximum ease of use. There\u2019s very little manual setup required, and you can rest assured you won\u2019t be hunting for errors in your formulas or having trouble sharing the chart with coworkers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Do you think Plaky by CAKE.com is the right choice for you? There\u2019s only one way to find out. Sign up for a 14-day free trial and try Plaky today.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-pricing pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-dark\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-dark\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Take control of your team's workload and achieve better project results with Plaky by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-primary text-white\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Download\" class=\"text-black px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/apps\">\n                    Download                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/pricing@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/pricing.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wondering how to make a Gantt chart in Excel? Take a look at our step-by-step tutorial with pictures, or try our free Excel Gantt chart template.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":10510,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7143"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17318,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7143\/revisions\/17318"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}